 |
 |
|
Mia Doi Todd |
||
 |
 |
|
|
|
| Track Listing: 1. What If We Do? (Nobody Remix) 2. Amor (Adventure Time Remix) 3. Norwegian Wood 4. My Room Is White (Dungen Remix) 5. Muscle, Bone & Blood (Ammoncontact Remix) 6. Deep At Sea (Dntel Remix) 7. The Last Night Of Winter (Campanella/Hellie Remix) 8. My Room Is White (Reminder Remix) 9. My Room Is White (Flying Lotus Remix) 10. Kokoro 11. Muscle, Bone & Blood (Chessie Remix) 12. Shikibu |
||
|
|
|
|
|
| “Remix” isn’t the right word for this
collection of songs. Reinvention is more apropos. Using Mia’s
most recent release Manzanita as a starting point, the artists
working on La Ninja provide a new and exciting context for
Mia’s original tracks. Encompassing a diverse array
of artists, from indie rock and psychedelia to soul and hip-hop,
La Ninja is first and foremost a showcase for a talent that
the Los Angeles Times calls “both timeless and fresh.” Nobody’s remix of “What if We Do?” starts things off with a Bollywood-inspired setting. Detailing a first encounter between two lovers, Mia’s original track had a melancholy spirit, underlining the nervous trepidation in the experiences described. Nobody’s reinvention brings out the feelings of excitement and joy present in those same words, the giddy excitement of fresh romance audible in every beat. Another of the album’s highlights comes from Dntel, whose take on “Deep At Sea” is yet another high point on his long list of stellar remixes. Subverting the original’s lilting acoustic trills for a brooding, pulsating electronic backdrop, Dntel brings out the tension and power in Mia’s words: “I’m deep at sea/I made myself break free/Of the anchor keeping me/Safe and sound in sanity.” The clean clarion call of Mia’s voice creates an exciting dichotomy with Dntel’s rough and sinister beats, making for a truly exciting remix. “My Room is White,” one of the highlights from Manzanita, gets tackled in three very different ways here. Dungen provide a psychedelic rumination, all rumbling toms and trippy flutes, that wouldn’t feel out of place on their future-classic album Ta Det Lugnt. Reminder contributes a glitchy, minimalist excursion, emphasizing Mia’s gorgeous lyrics and vocals. The last take by Flying Lotus is perhaps the most complete reinvention of the original. Lotus turns the track upside down, transforming the original’s subtle guitar/vocal combo into a head-nodding hip-hop jam. As an added bonus, Mia has contributed three new original songs to La Ninja. “Amor” is a compelling ballad embellished by Adventure Time’s lush orchestral maneuvers. The solo acoustic “Kokoro” with its almost Brazilian rhythm and the raga-inspired instrumental “Shikibu” show Mia heading in new musical directions. Another track, a cover of “Norwegian Wood,” demonstrates how a great artist can make a classic her own—a difficult task when attempting The Beatles. From the first brushed snare tumble, though, the track is all Mia’s, John Lennon’s signature vocal replaced with her own trademark lilt. The tracks on La Ninja are very diverse, and yet the album’s cohesion is never left in doubt. Other remixes by AmmonContact, Chessie, and Rob Campanella all match the depth and musicality of the aforementioned tracks. The album’s centerpiece is not a particular song or moment; rather, it is Mia’s words and the beauty of her voice. La Ninja is an important stop on Mia’s musical journey, displaying the eclectic array of artists she has touched along the way. |
||
|
|